Harry and the Return of the Heir of Slytherin
by Gemini Enchantress
Summary: Last year Harry Potter dreamt of a door at the end of a corridor, this year he's dreaming of a mysterious girl. When he returns to school he meets Tara, a girl who seems painfully faimliar to him, but why? OOTP-spoilers R
1. Default Chapter

Author's Note

Hi everyone! 

For those who've read this story: This is the new version of "Harry and the Return of the Heir of Slytherin" it's been revised and changed around a bit, please don't give any secrets away in your reviews. I gave up trying to salvage the last version, it wasn't going the way I wanted. 

To those who are new: I hope you like this story, and if it seems slow to begin with I promise it will pick up.

Please read and review

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling. 

Prolog 

            Harry waited patiently in the kitchen at number 4-waited for the members to come to get him as they did last year.  His raced a little at the prospect of not spending the rest of the summer with the Dursley's, but on the other hand he felt very tense about returning to headquarters.  He knew that the old house would never be the same, not without Sirius.  Harry felt a stab of guilt and loss at the memory of his godfather, but he did not cry. No, those tears had long since been shed in endless nights of dreams that left Harry shaking.  _It isn't your fault, everyone kept telling him that, telling him that Sirius would have wanted to go in battle, but how many truly meant it?  As the thought crossed his mind the door to the backyard opened noiselessly and the worn and tired face of Remus Lupin appeared in the door way.  Again Harry felt the horrible stab of guilt.  It didn't matter what anyone else said, to him it was entirely his fault.  And again he wondered as he had so many times before, if Lupin blamed him for the death.   It was a few minute before either of them spoke._

"Hello Harry."  

"Hello Professor Lupin."  This all seemed so formal.  Another wizard came in, collected his trunk, and Hedwig, and proceeded to bewitch them so that they fit in his pocket. 

"Do you have everything Harry?" 

"Yes, I'm all set."  

"Then we should get going," said Lupin. Harry followed him out onto the lawn and found that there was no wizard guard to escort him to the old house.  There were only a few wizards, amongst them the Weasley twins.

"Hi Harry."

"Hi Harry.

"Hi, Fred, George."  There was an uncomfortable silence after that. Both twins wanted to comfort Harry, yet neither knew what to say.  

"Come along. Got yer stuff, let's get going," said a gruff voice that Harry knew to belong to Alastor Moody. Harry nodded. 

"It's almost time," said Lupin coming back from the house.  From under his cloak he produced the tea pot that Harry had used more than once the previous year.  The small group gathered around the tea pot, and without a glance back at the Dursley's Harry felt a jerking behind his naval and soon the world fell away.  


	2. Returning to the House of Black

Hey everyone! Thanks so much to those who reviewed! I really appreciate it! 

Disclaimer: I own nothing. 

Chapter 1 Returning to the House of Black

            Harry fell onto the hard ground of a kitchen. A fire was burning, and Mrs. Weasley stood to welcome the group back from their trip.  

"Hello Harry, dear", she hugged him tightly smiling brightly, but then her smile faded slightly.  

"How are you doing", she asked. Harry grimaced at the question. He wished that people would stop asking him.

"I'm fine."  Mrs. Weasley stared into Harry's face, nodding. 

"Well, why don't you go on upstairs? Ron and the others are in the drawing room." 

"Ok."

"Fred, George, can I get you anything?"  She said her voice fading as Harry walked quietly up to the drawing room.  The thought of Sirius was ever on his mind. Guilt. Harry had felt nothing else all summer. Even when his mind was occupied with something else, the guilt always lingered in the back of his mind. Time after time Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, had all written to tell him it wasn't his fault.  Harry shook off the thoughts as best he could and stepped into the room. 

            Ron and Hermione were sitting on the couch next to the fire; Ginny was playing chess on the floor by the fire with a girl that Harry didn't know.  The girl had dark brown hair that fell past her shoulders in soft curls. She was wearing a short blue skirt with an ivory colored short-sleeved sweater. She sat with her legs tucked under her.  She had a familiar air about her, yet Harry couldn't quite understand why.  All four of them looked up as he entered.  Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all looked a bit somber or hesitant as if they didn't know what to say, but the girl who had been playing chess with Ginny looked up and smiled.  She had vibrant emerald green eyes that, Harry would later find out, showed every emotion.  

"Hello," she said cheerfully. 

"Hi."

"Harry, this is Tara. She's been staying with us this summer. She moved here from America."  

"Hi Tara, I'm Harry Potter." She spluttered as he introduced himself, and seemed to stiffen at his name.  

"I'm going to bed, I'm –uh-tired. Good night everyone," she smiled at them, a little nervously when it came to Harry, and he wondered why.  After she was gone, and he was sure that she was out of earshot, Harry turned to Ron.

"So, tell me about her", Harry said. Ron looked at Harry, a bit dazed.

"Who?"

"Tara."

"Oh, well. I don't really know much. She told us that an American family adopted her, and that her birth father asked her to come live with him here. That's all -- oh and she's on friendly terms with Snape." Ron wrinkled his nose at the idea of being friends with Snape.

"And", added Hermione, "She's leaving soon, when was it?"

"August 28", finished Ginny.

"That's right", said Mrs. Weasley coming in and told them all to go to bed.  

*****

Harry tossed in his bed, completely unable to sleep. There were so many thoughts running through his mind. The house felt so empty without Sirius. The everlasting grief was of course, present, and in an attempt to push it away, he contemplated Tara.  Why did she act so odd around him?  What little conversation they had was forced, and she seemed wary of him.  That didn't explain the odd sensation that there was just something about her, but Harry couldn't place it. He couldn't take it. He had the death of Sirius, and the new constant nagging of why Tara was so – odd, on his mind.  Ron stirred.  Harry stood and slipped out of the door.  

            Outside the hall was darkness. Harry sighed.  He only wanted a bit of relief from the constant buzz of thoughts that were going around in his head.  He made his way down to the drawing room, where a sliver of firelight shone through the cracked door.  Inside was Tara. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and her eyes were fixed on the fire.  She didn't hear Harry come in. 

"Do you mind if I join you?" Tara jumped, his voice breaking her train of thought.

"No, of course not. Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I guess I was a bit, should I say, cold?" Harry remained silent. 

"I suppose I was just a bit nervous. It's been a long year", she continued.

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, at the end of last year my birth father contacted me, and it just snowballed. I mean, oh, I don't really want to talk about it."

"That's fine. So, this is going to be you first year at Hogwarts?"

"Yep."

" Well, I hope that you're in Gryffindor. That's the house I'm in, Ron Ginny, and Hermione too." 

"I doubt that." She said despairingly. 

"Why?" Harry asked. "No one knows what house they'll be in."

"Well, let's just say my father is a true Slytherin."  

"What do you mean?"  She seemed uncomfortable by the question.

"I should go to bed, but Harry."

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Obviously you just did", she smiled. It sent flutters down Harry's spine. She moved closer, her green eyes wide. Harry however suddenly wasn't sure he would want to answer.

"If you met someone and you liked them and became friends and stuff, would you hold it against them who their family was? Like if their family was, I dunno", her voice got very small, and Harry had to strain to hear it, "evil?" 

"What do you mean", he asked, perplexed by the question. He had expected something about Voldemort. 

"I mean if you met someone, but their family wasn't all that respectable, but they were nothing like their family, would you be their friend?" Harry thought. He was friends with Hagrid, and his family wasn't all that respected, and his own family (the Dursley's) disgusted him. 

"Well, it really doesn't matter about the family as long as the person is good. Your family doesn't define who you are. Why do you ask?"

"I should go to bed," she said, avoiding the answer. "Good night, Harry Potter." She said his name as if she were afraid and fascinated at the same time.  Tara stood, as did Harry. He figured he should get to bed as well.  She paused looking at the Black family tree.  

"Harry, Sirius Black was your godfather wasn't he?" Something in Harry snapped.  The guilt he felt returned in anger.

"Yes," he said rather coldly, as if she were about to accuse him for everything. 

"I'm sorry, you must miss him a lot. Everyone told me about him -- he sounds like a great man. I wish that I could have met him."  She turned to face Harry, a bittersweet smile on her face. Their faces were so close, that Harry could feel her warm breath on his cheek.  She was a bit shorter than him, the top of her head just reaching his nose.  

"Ah -- yes he was a good man."  She reached up and brushed the untidy hair off Harry's forehead.  She traced a finger along his scar, and ran it down his face. For some reason Harry, felt drawn to her. Tara's green eyes stared into Harry's. They seemed sad. She leaned in, and Harry thought, but no. She stood on her tiptoes and gently placed a soft kiss on his scar.  A pleasant tingling sensation started from the kiss and spread slowly throughout his body spreading down to his toes.  

Tara let out a sigh, breathing into his ear. Before she pulled away, Harry could have sworn she said, "Good Bye Harry Potter. May our paths never cross again", but weariness seemed to have overcome him, and he couldn't be sure.  Tara slipped out of the room, and only then did Harry notice that she was dressed with a traveling cloaked wrapped around her. She headed in the opposite direction. Moments later Harry's head hit the pillow and he slept. 

                                                            *           *           *           *           *           *           *

            *           *           *           *           *           

Harry was fighting. His wand was out, but there was little more he could do. A flash of green light and Hermione fell. Another, and Ron feel as well. Harry looked around him. Bodies of his fellow students were scattered all over the grounds -- teachers too. 

"Crucio!" cried a shrill voice, and Harry collapsed in pain. Then the pain stopped. It always did_. He's toying with me, _Harry thought. "Harry Potter. All these long years and now, I will finally have my revenge. You will die, and finally you can be with your mudblood mother and dirty friends." Harry was exhausted; his whole body ached. He couldn't think, he couldn't move. He was going to die. A girl stepped out of the shadows, with loose brown curls that were whipping in the strong wind. Lord Voldemort stopped. The girl pulled Harry to his feet. She brushed his bloodstained hair away from his forehead, touching his scar. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his forehead -- kissed his scar. A familiar pleasant tingling took place. Lord Voldemort shouted at the girl -- a look of pure shock and anger was all over his face. He shouted, but the words were lost to the wind that was raging. 

She whispered, "I'm so sorry". She turned and said something that Harry couldn't hear. Voldemort screamed back, raising his wand. Harry realized in that instant what was happening, fear consumed him. 

"NOOOOOOO DON'T HURT HER!!!!!!!!"


	3. Memory Charms

To anyone who's reading this: I'm sorry I took so long to update I've been a bit preoccupied lately, and I was hoping for so more reviews, please if your reading review-just to let me know that someone is reading it. Thanks

~luv 

Gemini Enchantress (yes my pen name changed it used to be Nienna5)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter 2 Memory Charms

            Harry woke dripping in sweat.  The dream had felt so real-every bit.  The pain, the fear, it all seemed so real. He knew that this dream was unlike any other he had ever had. He knew because in those dreams, he saw what was happening, there and then.  This he was part of, and he was sure that had never happened to him. Groggily, Harry reached over to the nightstand searching for his glasses. Sliding them on, Harry stood quietly. Ron lay still in the other bed, muttering in his sleep. Harry opened the door silently and slipped out of the room.

            Even though the halls were dark, Harry could tell it was after dawn. He walked slowly down stairs, and hearing voices in the kitchen headed in that direction. Tara was sitting at the table, with Lupin, Snape, and Dumbledore sitting around her. They all looked up when Harry entered (in his pj's no less) but Tara was the only one that smiled.

"Good morning, Harry," she said smoothly drinking from a chipped mug. 

"Morning." He took the seat next to her, uncomfortably aware of how the talking had suddenly stopped upon his entrance. Tara coughed a bit after taking another sip; her face grimaced in dislike.

"Finish it, Tara," Snape commanded. She threw him an angry look, and continued to drink the thick purple liquid. 

"So, Harry did you sleep well?" Tara asked politely, making forced conversation.  Harry had no intention of telling her about the dream in front of the others, but he found his mouth moving before he realized what he was saying.

"Not really, I had a rather disturbing dream last night."  The 3 members stiffened at the mention of a dream. They knew all to well what Harry saw in his dreams.

"Harry," said Dumbledore, his voice a bit worried, "was this dream like the others you had last year?" Dumbledore met his eyes.

"Yes, and no." Harry was about to go on, when he realized that he didn't know what Tara was allowed to hear.  With a slight nod from Dumbledore Harry went on. 

"I dreamt the Voldemort," here no one in the room winced at the mention of the name, "had killed everyone. We were at Hogwarts, and he was about to kill me when this girl came out of the shadows and through herself in front of me, and said something but I couldn't hear her, then she" He stopped looking over at Tara, who started choking on the potion, spluttering. The girl had kissed his scar, just like Tara had, but it couldn't have been here, because Harry had been having that dream all summer.  Tara stood draining the rest of the potion. 

"I'm going to go talk to Hermione. Good Bye Harry," she said as if she would never see him again. 

"Go on Harry," prompted Dumbledore. Harry continued telling them of how it felt and what happened.  They all exchanged worried glances. 

"Harry go get dressed, tell Ron and Ginny the same thing. Then I want all of you to go to the drawing room." Harry opened his mouth to ask, "Don't ask questions Potter," Snape told him sternly. 

~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~***~*~*~***~*~***~*~*~*~***~*~

            They were sitting in the drawing room, on the couch each one aware of the tension in the room.  Hermione was standing apart from the others (Ginny, Ron and Harry) next to Tara who was shifting nervously.   "Harry could please step out for a moment?" Dumbledore asked. Harry did so, grudgingly. 

            Out in the hall, Harry fumed silently. Did they think him such a big threat that they couldn't even speak in front of him? Hadn't he been the one who survived countless encounters with the dark lord? Why was he always being shut out? Harry pounded a fist against the wall in frustration. The door opened a bit and Tara stepped out. She sighed. 

"Harry, I—" 

"I know you were the girl in my dream, and I know that you know as well."  She bowed her head. 

"Harry, there are things about me that you can't know. It puts all of us in danger. I'm sorry."  She pulled out her wand.  "Please Harry, don't do move." She closed her eyes, and performed an odd spell. Harry felt lightheaded and dizzy.  The door opened again. Tara was on the floor, in Snape's arms. What happened? The voices were murky. _Oh, she fainted. Harry's eyes rolled back in his head. _

"Dumbledore, tell me again how the spell works?" asked Mrs. Weasley cradling an unconscious Ginny in her arms. 

"The spell was an invention of my own, a variation of the memory charm. Tara wanted to do it.  She thought she aught to, since she felt responsible for connecting so closely to them.  The spell is immensely complicated, but it allowed Tara to erase herself from their memories. I only hope that she performed the spell on Harry fully or it might cause trouble later on."  On the couch, Hermione and Ron also lay unconscious. Hours later Harry awoke, not knowing of what had happened. He felt groggy and tired. He didn't remember Tara. To him, she existed only as a fleeting memory hovering on the verge of his mind.  


	4. Familiar Faces

Thank you so much for reviewing! It really means a lot to me, so don't forget to review for this chapter!

Thanks so much! Enjoy!

~luv

Gemini Enchantress

Disclaimer: I don't own harry potter I don't own ANYTHING so stop rubbing it in… ;)

Chapter 3

            Harry sat silently in the kitchen waiting for the rest of the group to come down. They were off to Diagon Ally today.  Normally, Harry would have been looking forward to his first glimpse back into the wizarding world, but not this year.  Going to Diagon Ally to pick up their school things always signified that start of school was not so far away, and this year Harry was in no rush to get back. He was worried about what the papers may have said about him over the summer, worried how the other students would treat him. 

            Mrs. Weasley watched him anxiously. It had been 3 weeks since Dumbledore had performed the spell on Harry and the others. At first, Harry was fine, but the closer start of term came, the more distant Harry got. She couldn't fathom why he acted so.  In previous years, he had been so excited to go back to school. Mr. Weasley had to remind her more than once that this year wasn't like the others. This year Harry was returning to school without his godfather's comforting presence and with the knowledge the Voldemort was gaining power. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione entered the room. 

"Oh, C'mon Harry," said Ron, "Don't look so down! School's starting soon. It won't be that bad. Plus Fred and George just told me, they're coming back to do –uh -- something. I don't think it was to teach though. No, I can't see them doing that."  Harry chuckled. Ron was right. He should be happy to return to Hogwarts. After all, it had been his home for the past 6 years. 

"Your right, Ron," said Harry standing. He picked up his school letter, and stuffed it in his pocket. 

"I love it when I'm right," commented Ron accepting a handful of flu powder from his mother. 

"Thanks, mum." Ron through the powder into the fire, and stepped into the green flames. "Diagon Ally!" He shouted. 

"Harry you next." Harry obliged, taking a handful of the stuff himself. "Diagon Ally!"  

            Harry found himself, a few minutes later out in the sunshine. He, Ron, and Hermione pulled out their school lists, as they walked down the crowded streets. 

"Let's see, I've gotten into Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Arthimancy—"Hermione mumbled the rest of her subjects off; the subjects needed for being an auror. 

"What about you two?" she asked. 

"I've got the classes for becoming an auror, plus divination." Harry grimaced; he had hopped to give up divination this year. 

"Better than me. Dumbledore's assigned me muggle studies, with a note saying it will be good for me to take this subject. I have that instead of divination. But," he glanced over at Harry's list, "I have the rest of my subjects same as Harry. I can't believe I was accepted into potions. Dumbledore must have something to do with that."  Harry stopped short. 

"I've got to get new robes. I'll do that first. You guys don't have to come," Harry told them. 

"No, I need knew robes too," said Hermione. Ron shrugged following them inside Madame Malcolm's Robes for All Occasions.  The smiling witch at the counter gestured for Hermione and Harry to stand up on the stools.  

"Harry," Hermione knew that this time he couldn't get away from her questioning, "are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ron sat up in his chair.

"You've been saying that all summer, mate. Harry we're your friends you don't have to lie to us." 

"All right, I'm not ok, but I'm not dead either. You don't need to worry about me." He smiled at their worried expressions. "Things will get better once we're back at Hogwarts, right?"

"All done with you dear," said the witch to Harry, who hopped down from his stool, and paid the witch at the front counter, then took a seat next to Ron, peering out the window and only half listening to Ron ask Hermione about Krum.  

            A girl ran past. She seemed familiar. She was dressed in a short black skirt and white shirt, a black robe, and a black traveling cloak. Harry followed her with his eyes. She waved cheerfully, calling out a boy's name.  The boy came striding into Harry's view.  It was Malfoy, with his mother. Soon the three were lost in the crowed. "All done, sweetie," said the witch to Hermione. 

            The three spent the next hour gathering various school supplies and a few odds and ends.  They soon found themselves in the Leaky Cauldron sipping butterbeer waiting for the others to finish their shopping.  There was a flurry of noise as a large group entered the dreary pub. Through the gloom Harry could make out the girl he'd seen earlier.  She looked around the pub meeting Harry's gaze for a second, with the stare of a stranger.  Malfoy called her name and turned smiling as he introduced her to Crabbe and Goyle.  She nodded a greeting. 

            Harry couldn't hear what they were saying but the girl turned to the bartender and Draco strode over to the table nearest Harry. 

"Hey Potty, Weasel. Have a nice summer? Tell me Potter, did you cry when Black kicked it?" Harry stood in one quick movement, his wand clutched in his hand in his pocket. Malfoy was the same. Obviously neither had forgotten the events of last term.  The girl walked over holding a tray of butterbeers, and a cup of hot chocolate.  She set down the tray.

"Draco, sit down. Don't be ridiculous."  She turned to Harry and the others.  She looked a bit agitated at the situation.

"I'm sorry for whatever Draco said to you. I'm sure it was rude."  The girl had green eyes, like Harry's.   

"My name's Harry Potter." 

There was an intake of breath, and the girls face faltered, though he noticed her eyes showed a bit of sadness as she said, "That's nice."  She picked up her hot chocolate, which was in a cup to go. Mrs. Malfoy strode over to the group.

"Time to go, come along you two", she said. 

"See you at school," Draco said to Crabbe and Goyle. The three turned to leave. Harry couldn't contain himself.

"Wait," he said to the girl, "I didn't catch you name."  Even through the gloom, Harry could almost sense that something was paining the girl.

"That's because I didn't give it," the girl answered peering down in Harry with apparent disgust. The party turned and disappeared. 

"The must have used a portkey," commented Hermione.  

"I wonder if she's coming to Hogwarts," Harry said out loud.

"Who cares? She seems stuck up, just like Malfoy. Hey, there's Fred and George." The twins entered the room from the busy streets of Diagon Ally.  

Harry waved them over. "Hey guys. How's the store going?"

"Good, we've got Lee Jordan watching it for us while we're doing a favor for Dumbledore," said Fred. Harry's eyes shifted, in the shadows where he could vaguely see a figure with a wooden leg. He shook his head. He knew he was being followed. Fred and George were probably coming back to tail him too. 

"Harry," George said breaking his thoughts, "It's time to go. C'mon."   

"Shouldn't we wait for the others?"

"No," said a rough voice from the shadows, "it's time to go, now." Harry understood, and it would have been lying to say he wasn't upset.  Ever since Voldemort had returned Harry had known his life was going to change, but that didn't stop him from being angry at the fact that he couldn't go anywhere without being followed.

            Harry stood following, noticing the tension emanating from Moody. Something must have happened, but what? Harry's eyes shifted looking around the gloomy pub as they walked to a private room.  He scanned for any signs of danger, yet found none. There seemed to be just the usual crowd of tired shoppers and some doggy looking fellows crowding their drinks. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing at all. 

~Tara's POV (still 3rd person)~

            Tara nearly dropped the tray she was carrying when she spotted Harry, but she managed to keep a cool, calm outward appearance. Since she had left the Order and met her new life head on, she had changed. Tara knew it too. She could feel the difference in the way she acted; it was crueler, darker, and withdrawn. Dumbledore had told her this might happen, but _"Don't loose sight of who you really are, __Tara_," _he had said to her.  He worried she might loose herself in the lie. _

"I'm sorry for whatever Draco said to you. I'm sure it was rude." Tara looked away trying to act like they didn't matter; from what she could tell, she did it well.  They were about to leave when Harry asked for her name.  Unnoticed by all Tara's wondering green gaze caught Moody's odd blue one. He shook his head slightly, what was left of his face scrunched in anticipation of how they scene would play out. 

"That's because I didn't give it to you", Tara said, her face masked, but her eyes full of pain.  She didn't like what she was turning into.  It was like dying, but with out death to look forward to.  The potion she drank prevented anyone from telling if she was lying or not and also protected her from any sort of invasion of minds.  Living a lie was not fun. _ What have I gotten myself into? _She thought miserably as she peered out the train window watching the scenery change dramatically.  

~Grimmauld Place, September the First~

            Harry and Ron rushed around their room, packing last minute parcels. This was the day that they would be returning to Hogwarts. Harry's insides fluttered, from excitement or apprehension, he couldn't tell.  He decided to try to look forward to going back to Hogwarts after all "it's been your home for the past five years, Harry" as Hermione persisted have him see it as "going home".  Harry pushed the thought aside. For the moment, he was concentrating on just trying to find Ron's Prefect badge, which had mysteriously disappeared after visit from Fred and George.  

"Ron, I think…" Harry began before hearing a "FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY!"  From down the hall. Both Harry and Ron rushed to see what happened. Hermione stood red faced.  She had found her prefect badge along with Ron's; they were intertwined with little hearts. Ron stood speechless, while Ginny and the twins tried not to laugh. Harry held his breath hoping against hope he would not laugh, mostly because the situation wasn't all that funny.         Ron had told Harry that over the summer he had told Hermione how he felt about her. She had apparently turned him down. Deep down, Harry had been glad. He wasn't sure how he liked the idea of the two of them dating.   Hermione pulled out her wand, looking ready to hex the brothers.

"Now Hermione, let's not get violent", said George with full knowledge that Hermione could hex them into oblivion, but she didn't. She simply untwined the two badges and retreated downstairs. Ron took his also and returned to his room.  Shrugging at the twins Harry followed Ron back, past the wall of heads, to their room.

"Look Ron, don't think much of it."

"Lets not talk about it, ok Harry?" 

"All right."   

Harry couldn't believe it. The summer was over, and somehow he had made it without his godfather.  When he had gone back to the Dursley's' Harry sat for hours just staring into space. Now that he was alone, he had all his time to think of Sirius. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't imagine life without Sirius. Harry peered out of the train window. Ron and Hermione had left him alone after he had remained silent for most of the journey. So now, Harry sat alone in his compartment, left to ponder his thoughts.  The sky had grown dark and cloudy, and it began to rain. The compartment door slid open. Harry glanced over at the door, where a girl was standing, silent as stone.  It was the girl who had been with Malfoy at the Leaky Cauldron. His green eyes pierced hers.

"Hello," Harry said. The girl opened her mouth to speak, and then shut it swallowing hard.

"Hi. Do-do you mind if I join you?" The girl asked; rather timidly in Harry's opinion for a girl who was a friend of Malfoy.

"No, come in." The girl sat down near the window, opposite from Harry. She looked at him, aware of the uncomfortable silence. 

"Look, I'm sorry about, you know, how I acted in Diagon Ally. I was rude."  Harry noticed that her voice held a foreign accent -- American most likely. 

"Anyway," she continued", I'm just sorry for acting like that."  

"Ok, no hard feelings. So", Harry started hoping to squash that awkward silence, "This'll be your first year at Hogwarts, right?"

"Yep. I'm really nervous. Everything is so different than what I'm used to. This place is so different", she said her voice trailing off; her eyes distant were staring out into the rain-filled night. 

"Don't worry I'm sure you'll love Hogwarts."

"My name's Tara, by the way," Tara said casting her eyes aside, avoiding Harry's gaze. 

"Harry Potter," he responded holding out his hand. She took it, blushing at the simple act.  The moment lasted longer then it was meant to. The compartment door slid open and standing in the doorway stood Draco Malfoy flanked as always by Crabbe and Goyle. Both Harry and Tara looked to the door, they're hands still held in that friendly handshake. A look of pure disgust crossed Malfoy's face. 

"What's going on here?" he asked his voice rising in anger. Tara stood quickly, dropping Harry's hand in the process.  In an instant, Tara's haughty attitude had returned. 

Tossing her hair she said, "I was just leaving."  She threw Harry an apologetic glance before disappearing into the corridor. Harry sat back. That girl was definitely a puzzle. He went back to staring out the window, but with a small smirk on his face.  For some reason he hoped to God, she was in Gryffindor. 


	5. Settling In

Thank you so much for reviewing! It really means a lot to me, so don't forget to review for this chapter!

Thanks so much! Enjoy!

~luv

Gemini Enchantress

Disclaimer: I don't own harry potter I don't own ANYTHING so stop rubbing it in… ;)

Chapter 4

            Tara paced silently. Her palms were sweaty, and her head was spinning with all the horrible possibilities this year would bring. She knew for certain. Tara made a noise of disgust at her fate. She would be sorted into Slytherin and would end up sharing most, if not all her classes with Draco, her doting servant whom she ended up serving. She could see the hall, filled with students, all waiting. The first years had been sorted, and now Dumbledore stood. The hall quieted. This was it; Tara's breathing was becoming ragged. Deep down Tara hadn't accepted her role, as Draco called it, of the "Slytherin Princess". Her sorting, she felt, would seal her fate and prevent her from having any of the friends she yearned for.

"And I present to you now," said Dumbledore in a voice that easily carried throughout the commodious hall, "Tara Richmond, our exchange student from a small school in America." 

            Harry watched as Dumbledore gestured for Tara to enter, but no one came. Then, thanks to a small push from Snape, Tara stepped out.  The whole hall watched her. Harry could see the fear in her eyes, but to everyone else, she seemed calm and cool. 

"Thank you Headmaster," she whispered quietly.  She took her seat upon the stool and Professor McGonagall placed the hat atop her head. They waited. The hat seemed to take a long time in deciding.  Finally, the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR" and the table exploded -- Harry clapping hardest of all, and through the tumult Malfoy had cried "WHAT!" but no one had heard. Yet, Tara seemed oblivious to all of this. She turned to Dumbledore her looking confused. The clapping had died away by now, leaving in its place an unpleasant silence.  Snape strode to Dumbledore's side whispering frantically in his ear.

"What do you recon's up?" asked Ron who, like the entire hall, was staring at Tara, who was still standing before the staff.  Dumbledore nodded, but then shook his head. Snape looked livid when Dumbledore gestured her to sit down. She made her way less proudly, her fear seeping through her, down the line of tables between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Whispers began to rise up, and a sort of buzzing filled the room. Tara walked, searching for a friendly face, anyone who would let her sit next to them. 

"Ugh," she heard from her left, "an American. Next they'll have vampires enrolling," said a girl from the Ravenclaw table with long black hair and almond eyes.

"Tara," Harry shouted, surprising everyone, "Come sit over here with us." Relief was etched all over her face. She sat down next to Harry, too thankful to be out of the spotlight to notice Ron and Hermione's looks of disbelief. Nor did she notice the lovely shade of tomato-red Draco Malfoy was turning across the room.

"I'm Hermione Granger, and this is Ron Weasley."

"Hi", smiled Tara.  

"Thanks, Harry", Tara said her voice low. 

"For what," he asked turning to her, his mouth full of food. She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I dunno", she murmured. Harry glanced over at her. 

"Aren't you hungry", asked Harry.

"What? Oh, yeah. I'm just—surprised," she responded, glancing nervously over at the Slytherin Table. 

"Why," asked Hermione.

"Oh, I just wasn't expecting to be a Gryffindor, not that I'm complaining, it's a lot better then Slytherin.  I wouldn't have been able to take an entire year of Draco none-stop," she said, beginning to sound like her old self.

"Why do you hang around with Malfoy if you dislike him," asked Hermione. Tara blushed. 

"I'm living with the Malfoys. My father's sick, I guess you could say. The Malfoys are a good friend of his." 

"But you don't like them?" Ron raised his eyebrows while asking the question. Tara shifted uneasily; this was a subject she didn't really want to get into, but it seemed she had no choice. 

"I didn't grow up with my father. I was adopted and lived in America. This place is all new to me; it's complicated. I just hope this year isn't as bad as I thought it would be." 

"What's that supposed to mean", asked Ron, looking hurt. Tara laughed, smiling for the first time in a long time.

"It won't be, trust me. It's already better than I ever thought," she said as the four made their way to the common room. She smiled brightly at Harry, who returned the grin willingly.  

            In the throng of students, a certain blonde Slytherin crept up behind Tara. He grabbed hold of her, pulling her close, whispering frantically into her ear. 

"Draco, the hat doesn't make mistakes. I'm going to bed now, Good night." She shook him off, walking as fast as she could, disappearing into the crowd. Tara continued to climb the stairs, the crowd around her thinning. Looking up, she suddenly realized she didn't know where the Gryffindor common room was. "Oh shit," she muttered. 

"Lost", asked a voice, coming form behind. She spun around afraid that Draco might have followed her, but it was only Harry.  

Smirking she said, "Of course not, I just don't know where I'm going."  

"C'mon common room's this way", Harry said, nodding up the stairs.  Tara followed silently, as she seemed lost in her own world of thoughts.  

"Tara", Harry asked tentatively. 

"Yes?" 

"Tell me a little about yourself."  

Tara hesitated, before continuing, and carefully avoiding Harry's gaze. "What do you want to know?" 

"Well I'd like it if we were friends, so I don't know, just anything." Harry was amazed at himself for being so honest with her. He barely knew her, and yet…

"Okay, lets see. I was born in London, but my mom died shortly after I was born. Since my father couldn't take care of me, I was adopted by a nice family in America, and so that's where I grew up. I had loads of friends," she said nostalgically. 

"Just friends?" As soon as he asked, Harry kicked himself mentally. It was too personal of a question. She laughed at the expression on his face. 

"There was one boy I dated. He was a few years older than I was. We were a thing for a couple of years."

"Years?" interjected Harry and Tara nodded. 

"He was, special. But it ended when I moved here. I wanted him to be free to meet other people," she said a slight gleam in her eye as she looked at Harry, "in case I did." Harry blushed, but Tara chose to ignore it. They had reached portrait of the fat lady. 

"Pig snout," Harry said, the portrait swinging open. Tara stepped inside, taking in the sight of her new home.  The common room was still full of students, mostly in their own year.

"Hiya Harry", Dean shouted from across the room.

"Hi Dean," said Harry striding over to him, leaving Tara where she was, hovering awkwardly over the scene.  Lavender waved at her, and motioned for Tara to join her little group. She smiled and sat down on the couch.  Harry looked up remembering suddenly that he had left Tara standing by the door. But she was sitting with Lavender nodding her head looking a bit uneasy. Curious, Harry strode over.

"Hi," said Harry. 

"Hey Harry," said Tara smiling looking relieved. 

"What are you guys talking about?" he asked.

"Tara was just telling us," giggled Pavarti, "about her old boyfriend. Now tell us, was he a good at…you know." She winked. Tara stared blankly at her.

"I'm going to assume you meant kissing", she glared at Pavarti. "And the answer isn't any of your business. I don't kiss and tell," she said rather hotly.  Taken aback, the girls just stared. Tara crossed the room, Harry following, and plopped down in a chair across from Ron. Her face was flushed. 

"Something wrong", he asked. Shaking her head, she retrieved a leather- bound book from her bag. Tapping the tie with her wand twice, the book opened. Pulling out a quill, she buried herself in the book the feather moving furiously. 

~*~*~*~

            Harry woke up to find his dormitory empty.  He rushed into his clothes dashing down to the common room.  He saw Tara standing with Hermione, laughing. His stomach fluttered a bit at the sight. He suddenly realized that he looked a mess; his hair was tousled, and his clothes rumpled. 

"Hiya Harry. Jeez, bad night? You look like you just rolled out of bed." 

"Nah, I'm fine. Just weird dreams." At the mention of dreams, Harry noticed all three of them stiffen a bit. They walked through the corridors, heading to the Great Hall. Tara was unusually quiet. 

"Something up, Tara", asked Hermione; she seemed to have warmed up to the girl.  

"Uh, yeah, I have to go meet with Professor Dumbledore. You know, get my schedule, and learn the rules. Um, I'll see you in class ok?"  Before any of them could answer, Tara took off in the direction of the headmaster's office.  

            As Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor table, Ginny looked up from the newspaper and asked coolly, "Where's your knew friend?"  Harry glanced over at her, wondering about her attitude.

"Tara is meeting with Professor Dumbledore. And what's up with you?" Ginny looked up, her cheeks turning pink. 

"It's just that, I heard that... never mind," Ginny took to her breakfast, carefully avoiding the others' gazes.  Harry looked at her. What did she mean?  Tara appeared in the hall, looking a little upset. Spying Hermione, she smiled, but before she could make her way over, her attention was drawn to the Slytherin table. She simply turned on her heel and left.  Draco stood, followed her, a frown worrying his features.  Harry, seeing all of this wondered silently what could be going on in that girl's head. 

~*~*~*~

            He walked down the empty corridor, grumbling about Peeves.  Harry was lost in his mumbling when he caught muffled voices in the air, coming from a side corridor. Curious, Harry peered around the corner and to his surprise, he found Tara, looking irritably at none other than Draco Malfoy. 

~Earlier~

           Tara nearly ran from the Great Hall. Lately, all she felt like she was doing was running. Running from whoever was chasing her.  A smooth, strong hand grabbed her pulling her into a side corridor.  The eyes that met her were haughty gray ones.  Fear shot through Tara like a knife, but her façade was firmly in place. 

"Tara, I think we should talk", Draco began.

"Really? I don't think so," she said, a smirk similar to his own crossing her face as she tried to sidestep the boy but to no avail. His eyes hardened, blocking her path with his arm. 

"Why do you have to be like that", he said, leaning on his hand that was against the wall, blocking Tara's way out.  His eyes were bright with mischief. The look scared her. She suppressed a tremble as Draco leaned in, his hot breath brushing Tara's skin. 

"Draco, get away. My father won't be happy if you, if you—" 

"If I what", he said twiddling a strand of her hair between two of his fingers. Tara pushed him back.

"If you piss me off!" she replied angrily, storming away.  

~Present~

Draco had finally caught her alone, in one of the few moments when the Dream Team didn't surround her. Harry watched the two argue back and forth, making sure to keep their voices low.  Ducking quickly out of site, he watched as Tara walked off, looking completely unruffled. But something must have been bothering her as she was rubbing her arm that hung limply at her side.  

            A few minutes later, Harry met up with Hermione, Ron, and Tara, who was smiling falsely. The group was walking, Tara beside Harry, their shoulders bumping every now and then. She seemed not to notice, but another girl did. 

I apologize for the long wait, please review it means a lot to me. 

~luv

Gem 


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